1When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel what Elijah had done and that he had slaughtered the prophets of Baal.

2So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: "May the gods also kill me if by this time tomorrow I have failed to take your life like those whom you killed."

3Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

4Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors."

5Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, "Get up and eat!"

6He looked around and saw some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.

7Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, "Get up and eat some more, for there is a long journey ahead of you."

8So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

9There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the LORD said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

10Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."

11"Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

12And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

14He replied again, "I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."

15Then the LORD told him, "Go back the way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram.

16Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel–meholah to replace you as my prophet.

17Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha!

18Yet I will preserve seven thousand others in Israel who have never bowed to Baal or kissed him!"

19So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field with a team of oxen. There were eleven teams of oxen ahead of him, and he was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and walked away again.

20Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, "First let me go and kiss my father and mother good–bye, and then I will go with you!" Elijah replied, "Go on back! But consider what I have done to you."

21Elisha then returned to his oxen, killed them, and used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the other plowmen, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.